Your garage door is the largest moving part of your house and cycles 1,500–3,000 times a year. Here's a homeowner-friendly maintenance schedule.
Monthly (5 Minutes)
- Watch the door open and close once. Listen for new sounds. Look for jerky movement or uneven travel.
- Test the safety reverse: place a 2×4 flat on the ground in the door's path. Close the door — it should reverse on contact.
- Wave a broomstick across the photo eyes while closing — the door should reverse immediately.
Every 3 Months
- Lubricate hinges, rollers, springs, and bearings with garage-door-rated silicone or lithium grease. (NOT WD-40 — it cleans, it doesn't lubricate.)
- Wipe down photo eyes with a soft cloth.
- Check bottom seal for cracks or tears.
Annually (Pro Service)
- Full balance test (disconnect opener, lift door halfway — does it hold?).
- Spring inspection.
- Cable inspection.
- Hardware tightening — every nut, every bolt, every lag screw.
- Opener limit + force calibration.
- Photo eye alignment.
- Weather stripping & threshold inspection.
What Not to DIY
- Spring adjustments or replacements
- Cable replacements
- Anything involving the torsion shaft